Victim of assault harassed his ex

A MAN kicked in the face by a jealous partner has been jailed after continuing to harass his own former love.

Martin McConnell needed stitches to his head following the attack by Mark Mellor, who broke into the house and then used steel-capped boots to hurt him after discovering him spending the night there.

Mellor, of Huddersfield Road, Holmfirth, was jailed for five years and four months in December after admitting wounding with intent.

McConnell, who attended to give evidence in the trial, was arrested after ignoring a court order not to contact his ex-partner, Katrina Williams.

He was handed the two-year restraining order following a conviction for harassment at Kirklees Magistrates’ Court in November 2015.

The order banned McConnell, formally of Meltham, from communicating with her and made it part of a suspended sentence.

But he continued to breach the order, contacting his ex and approaching her while she was outside a takeaway and at a pub.

He was arrested after ignoring the order again, sending her four emails between March 9 and 13.

In one of these messages the 45-year-old asked to meet Miss Williams, telling her he wasn’t well and didn’t have a lot of time.

In another he demanded to know why she wasn’t talking to him and in one message he stated that she’d broken his heart, adding: “I keep thinking why me?”

Prosecutor Bill Astin told the court that Miss Williams said these emails left her feeling terrified as she wanted no further contact with him.

Ian Whiteley, mitigating, said his client and his ex had been in a relationship for three years and he had loaned her £6,500 to set up a hairdressing business.

He said he was in the process of recovering this through the county court and was also attempting to sell his house after moving back to his native Ireland.

Mr Whiteley said: “His case is that he accepts the order was given but says the complainant contacted him and said she’d applied for the order to be lifted.

“He has an alcohol problem and mental health issues and was admitted to hospital rehab in Ireland.

“When he was badly assaulted he came out of rehab to go to Leeds Crown Court to give evidence on behalf of the prosecution.

“He travelled from Dublin, the defendant pleaded guilty and he lost his place in rehab.”

The court heard that the majority of McConnell’s offending related to his previous relationship.

Deputy District Judge John Maxwell told him: ”You have a history of offending relating to this particular victim but you simply have to let it go.”

He jailed McConnell for a total of 16 weeks and extended the restraining order to make it indefinite.